The weather is topsy turvy

[Adrianwool]

In the last three months her on the Algarve we have had the worse winter weather I can remember since I have been here permanently in 2004. Lagos marina is at this time of year full of overwintering yachts 'fitting out' for their prospective ventures into the Med back to the UK etc. Many are far behind in their refit programme due to the poor weather. Since the middle of December we have had very few clear and sunny days, but have suffered extreme rainfall and extreme winds.

When looking at the images from the European weather satellite you can see the depressions wheeling in across the Atlantic. One theory I had was the unusually high pressure across NE Europe with a wind from the East , which brought all the cold weather to the UK was forcing the depressions further South and we were/are receiving the weather normally got in NW Europe.

I cant wait for the Azores high to build so we can have a return to normal conditions!

Hope for some interesting responses from

a). Those of you who may be weather experts or at least weather savvy.

b). The global warming brigade

c). The no to global warning brigade!

 

[rafiki_]

All we know for sure is that the climate changes!!! it did this well before man started burning stuff, and will do so after we have gone.

I don't doubt that man adds to the problem, but is not the cause of climate change. Which one of you caused the last ice age? The romans grew grape vines in Northumberland 2000 years ago. There are still a few descendants Geordies around who remove shirts in the winter, harking back to the good old days!!!

To my understanding the Jet Stream has been the culprit over the past couple of years, wrecking our summers, and causing havoc this winter. Apparently it has moved further south, and not yet gone home!!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

When looking at the images from the European weather satellite you can see the depressions wheeling in across the Atlantic. One theory I had was the unusually high pressure across NE Europe with a wind from the East , which brought all the cold weather to the UK was forcing the depressions further South and we were/are receiving the weather normally got in NW Europe.

Firstly you are not allowed to mention the GW words or the CC words on the forum on pain of excommunication by the moderator and instant death see here http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228252

But you're pretty much spot on. I'm no meteoroligical expert but AFAIK it is quite common during winter for a blocking high pressure area to form over Scandinavia and northern latutudes which means that the normal mild westerly airflow over the UK is replaced by a cold easterly flow bringing freezing weather and snow. This winter this blocking high has been more prevalent than normal, some say due to weak El Nino activity.
The high also means that some low pressure areas are pushed further south than normal causing storms and rain over the Med and Iberian peninsula. I've had my boat in the W Med for a few years now and as a rough rule of thumb I reckon if there's settled weather (cold or hot) over the UK, the Med is going to be changeable and, of course, vice versa

 

[Adrianwool]

Thanks for the 'heads up' Mike, I have to say my question was couched in innocent terms in relation to the topsy turvy weather!, but the exclusion of these topics being the the 'rules' so be it.

 

[Caergybi_Man]

And of course the UK has now officially had the coldest winter for 31 years and Scotland the worst since 1962/63. This means my boat has never known it so cold!!